The NBA just announced the reserves for the 2020-21 NBA All-Star game, and even though the Toronto Raptors are fifth in the Eastern Conference, there aren’t any Raptors representing the East.
One name from the Raptors that should be on the team is Fred VanVleet. There is no doubt that right now VanVleet is the Most Valuable Player for the Raptors. VanVleet, who is averaging 20.1 points and 6.6 assists per game this season, proved his worth in Sunday’s win against the Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto won the game, and he finished with 23 points, five rebounds, and nine assists. Now that they are a .500 team once again, they should have at least one Raptor representing them at the All-Star game and that Raptor should be VanVleet. Once again, the criminally underrated VanVleet has been looked over once more.
The coaches are the ones who pick the players to be on the All-Star game. VanVleet had some tough competition in the All-Star reserve backcourt race. The other players that he was competing against are Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown, and James Harden. While tough competition, VanVleet had a strong case in his favor.
Bam deserved to go. So did Fred VanVleet. The Indiana Pacers not having a selection is comical.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) February 24, 2021
If there are 15 active for games, perhaps have 15 on each team for the All-Star Game.
Just a thought.
Should Raptors star Fred VanVleet have been named an All-Star?
Jayson Tatum and Ben Simmons stand out as two All-Stars that VanVleet could’ve potentially unseated. Simmons doesn’t have better scoring numbers than VanVleet, and he hasn’t been as important for the 76ers as VanVleet has been for Toronto.
Tatum has the weaker case. He’s put up great stats, but missed some time due to COVID-19. The reason the Boston Celtics are still in the playoff picture is because of Jaylen Brown, not Tatum. With Boston behind Toronto in the standings, how did they get two representatives while the Raptors got none?
If stats are what, in your eyes, determine All-Stars, VanVleet might not make the cut. If you’re players who are winning, VanVleet should be in over players like Nikola Vucevic, who likely will come nowhere close to the playoffs.
The Raptors could move into fourth in the East tonight with a win and still end up with zero All-Stars.
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 23, 2021
Fred VanVleet is going to make a lot of Snub lists I feel.
All-Stars should be decided via a blend of individual statistical excellence and contributions to winning. That is exactly what VanVleet is doing and why he should be in the game. During this month, he played so well that now he’s should’ve overcome his slow star in the eyes of the voters. However, that wasn’t enough for the coaches to vote for him.
Should any other players Toronto Raptors be in the All-Star game?
There are only two other players from the Raptors who have a chance to be in the All-Star game. Those two players are Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam.
Siakam was an All-Star last year. And he deserved it, as he led Toronto to the No. 2 seed in the East. This year, not so much. Despite putting good number this year as well, he hasn’t been as efficient as he was last season. He has cost the Raptors some games this season like missing game-winning shots.
Lowry’s six straight All-Star Game streak has been broken because he didn’t make it this year. That’s understandable. He’s been good this season despite the fact that his numbers are a bit down from last season.
However, VanVleet has been taking the role that Lowry had for the past eight years of his career. Lowry is still taking charges and making key plays on offense and defense, but VanVleet is now the primary backcourt scorer. It doesn’t help that he missed six games so far this season and the Raptors won all those games with VanVleet at the starting point guard position.
I just think it's cool that on a roster with six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry and last year All-Star starter Pascal Siakam that Raptors Twitter agrees Fred VanVleet is the most deserving for a spot this year.
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 23, 2021
He may not be an All-Star this year, but VanVleet will always see him as an All-Star this season and beyond to us Raptor fans. That has to count for something, right? Well, maybe not. Hopefully, next year VanVleet will be an All-Star.